IN the wake of the congestion at the Ho Central Prison, the authorities of the correctional centre, have renewed their proposal to take over the abandoned Border Guard Training School, at Akoefe-Avenui, in the Volta Region, for use as a prison settlement camp.
The Ho Central Prison, which was built for 150 prisoners, is now filled with more than 540 inmates, and prisoners now sleep side by the side in the cells, due to the congestion.
Unconfirmed reports also have it that some of the prisoners sleep in turns due to the overcrowding.
Conducting this reporter round the defunct Border Guards Training School, here on Friday, Deputy Director of Prisons (DPP) Commanding the Volta Region, Victor Agbelengor, said that the training school, which was engulfed by weeds, had the capacity to take up to 600 prisoners.
He said that the facility was also ideal for use for agricultural and industrial activities, with cheap labour from the prisoners.
According to DPP Agbelengor, the initial proposal was presented to the owners of the school, Ministry of Defence, with the backing of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, since July last year, “but we have not received any response yet”.
He said the proposed facility, which is four kilometres from Ho, has a total size of 1,118 acres, three bedroom self-contained bungalows with garages, an administrative block of 13 offices and two ration rooms.
It also has two one-storey buildings, comprising four and two bedrooms, 12 one bedroom self-contained bungalows, a logistics depot and drill square.
DPP Agbelengor said that the acquisition of the old border guards’ training school would enable the prison to address not only the congestion, but also use the vast land for farming to feed the inmates, and generate income, in line with government’s policy of Planting for Food and Jobs.
FROM ALBERTO MRIO NORETTI, AKOEFE- AVENUI
